The Cipher Probe
by Albertson
Summary: After the events of the Cipher War, an off-the-books investigations leads government officials to Gravity Falls, posing a danger to the self-contained wierdness inside the town, even the possibility of it spreading to the rest of the world. Meanwhile, news of a shadowy organisation spreads, challenging Dipper's and Mabel's own connections to the institute.
1. The inquiry begins

**The inquiry begins**

It was a typical Monday morning for all the citizens of Oregon. The day started out like any other, kids off to school, parents off to work, but for one, it would be the most nerve-wracking time of his career. A week ago, Congressman Lock got an email saying that he was subpoenaed to testify in a special inquiry, about which he had no clue, and that he was due to give evidence today.

"Jennifer, please re-schedule all my appointments today, I have something I need to take care of urgently" requested Lock.

"Of course, sir" acknowledged his secretary, Jennifer. Lock thought she was a life-saver. Truth be told, he could not get through the day without her help. He secretly thought she should run for office, and that she would be good at it. When he told her this, she calmly accepted the compliment, but told him that a life in office did not interest her. Lock made his way to the place where the inquiry would be meeting in his car, and on the way, he wondered what it was about. His most immediate conclusion was that it would be about the Cipher War. Nasty business, that. A flying triangle descends upon the Earth with his army of monsters and lays waste to the planet almost without effort, and in a short space of time, was magically scrubbed clean.

"No, it can't be" Lock muttered to himself. An official inquiry into the events of the war concluded that it was the result of an astronomical anomaly that took place once in so many years, and that it was sheer luck that humanity escaped unscathed. The President herself assured the populace that the given explanation was the truth, and hard data provided by NASA confirmed it. If that was the case, why was he so uneasy all of a sudden? He arrived at the meeting point, and made his way inside.

"Can I help you, sir?" asked the receptionist at the courthouse.

"Yes, Congressman Lock. I was summoned here" addressed Lock. The receptionist looked over his appointment list, and saw the name Lock.

"Ah, yes, Lock. You're in Courtroom C. Just follow the signs and you'll find it in no time" answered the receptionist. Lock thanked him, and made his way to the courtroom. When he got inside, it looked less like a courtroom, and more like a tribunal. Lock did not like where this was going. If that wasn't bad enough, Lock was also frisked by the bailiff.

"What was that about?" Lock demanded to know. He had passed through the metal detectors on his way in and they didn't go off, proving he did not bring any concealed weaponry.

"He's clean, no bugs" the bailiff stated, addressing the judges rather than Lock, which he found very rude.

"Do you know why we have called you here?" inquired the centre judge. The panel consisted of five judges, and no jury. Strangely enough, the judges were masked by anonymising technology usually reserved for witnesses in high profile cases.

"No, so please tell me" requested Lock.

"We have questions pertaining to the events leading up to the Cipher War, questions we are hoping you can answer" explained the judge to the center left.

"There are those among the political sector who are more than sceptical about the results of the official inquiry into those events. We are acting on their behalf" further explained another judge, this time, the center right.

"Does the President know about this?" quizzed Lock.

"No, and for the purposes of this inquiry, she cannot. We believe she may be compromised, or acting on the behest of another agency" answered the left most judge.

"We'll get to them later. Right now, we want to ask about the first time Bill touched down on Earth" rectified the right most judge.

"What, are you telling me the Cipher War wasn't the first incursion?!" asked Lock, dumbfounded by what he had heard.

"No, our line of investigation into the origins of Bill Cipher have pointed us to a small town in Roadkill County, Oregon called Gravity Falls. That is where you come in" clarified the center judge. Lock thought about this for a moment.

"Gravity Falls. I've never visited the place, though I have heard tales of strange goings-on, weird sightings of impossible things. I just dismissed them as superstitious nonsense" mused Lock.

"The overall nature of the town itself is not the subject of this inquiry. We want to know about a specific incident that occurred last summer, the incident dismissed as a mining disaster" inquired another judge.

"When news got to me of that disaster, I called the town mayor. He assured me that everything was alright and that no-one was seriously hurt, but he wouldn't give me any details, no matter how much I pressed him" testified Lock.

"Interesting, so you know about as much as we do, which is to say, virtually nothing. Can you honestly tell this court you are convinced that Gravity Falls' mayor told you the truth?" interrogated another judge.

"Given recent events, and what I've just heard here, no, I am not convinced" answered Lock.

"Then you believe the town may be hiding something?" further asked the center left judge.

"Maybe, but without evidence, I cannot launch an investigation of my own" conceded Lock.

"Then there is one other line of investigation we would like to pursue. Following the war, there have been rumours of a secret organisation conducting research outside official government channels that may have led to the Cipher War. It is this organisation that we believe the President may be in league with" explained the center judge.

"And where is your evidence to support such a claim?!" demanded Lock.

"Her behaviour is suspect. Aside from the given explanation, which we believe is really far'fetched, she has refused to comment further on the war and its aftermath" countered the left most judge.

"The further this remains unaddressed, the louder the voices demanding answers become. We cannot leave this, or count our blessings that we are still here now, having this conversation, forever. Action is required" added the right most judge.

"I know nothing of any black ops organisations in my constituency" assured Lock.

"Maybe so, but we believe this institute is everywhere. The reason you were checked for bugs upon your arrival was so that we could speak without them listening in" explained the judge on the center left.

"You think I could be a part of this?!" accused Lock.

"We cannot afford to take chances, not when the security of our nation is at stake. If such an organisation exists, it could jeopardise everything we have worked hard to build" retorted the center right judge. Lock had had enough.

"So far, all I've heard is conspiracy theories. Unless you have tangible evidence that there is a cover-up, I'm leaving, now!" insisted Lock. The judges talked amongst themselves.

"It is clear to us that you can add nothing new to our investigation. You may leave as you see fit" dismissed the center judge, and Lock stormed out, angered at having his time wasted like this. When Lock left, the councillors summarised what they just heard.

"He either knows nothing, or is complicit and not co-operating. We should not have summoned him, that would surely alert Excalibur of our inquiry" concluded the left most judge.

"In either case, he was right about one thing, all we have to go on is theories. We need something more tangible if we are to expose them" added the center left judge.

"Where would you suggest we start? You heard Lock, Gravity Falls is not talking to anyone regarding the first incursion" rebutted the center judge.

"What about further afield? There have been whispers of strange happenings in the Tri-State Area prior to the war. Maybe the locals there would be more co-operative" suggested the center right judge.

"It could be risky. Excalibur may be operating there" responded the center left judge.

"Excalibur could be operating anywhere. This whole investigation is being conducted as though they have eyes and ears in all things" replied the center judge.

"Is there any specifics as to where in the Tri-State area these happenings occurred? A more centralised field of investigation may cut down the time it would take to gather what we need" inquired the right most judge.

"I've narrowed it down to two locations; Swamp City and Danville" answered the center left judge.

"Then there's the disappearance of a boy native to Echo Creek that was never explained. Could Excalibur have had a hand in that?" asked the center right judge.

"We should split up. One judge each should go to those locations. In the meantime, the remaining two will go to Gravity Falls and see if we can coax any information out of the locals. Maintain radio silence, we'll meet again in a month or two and share what we've gathered by then" instructed the center judge. They all agreed, and separated to carry out their assignments.

Back at his office, Lock was exhausted from his rather pointless interrogation by those conspiracy nuts, but he was still eager for answers.

"Jennifer, get me the mayor of Gravity Falls on the phone. Tell him I won't take no for an answer" asked Lock. Jennifer did so, and Lock took the call in his office.

"I already told you, it was a mining disaster, case closed!" insisted Mayor Tyler down the phone line.

"And I'm sure it had nothing to do with Bill Cipher. You better give me some answers. What happened that time?!" demanded Lock.

"We were sworn to secrecy about the events in question. That is all I will disclose. Goodbye" concluded Tyler, and he hung up. Lock slammed the phone down in frustration. He then came to a dark conclusion, but one he felt necessary. He buzzed Jennifer on the intercom.

"Jennifer, order an investigation into Gravity Falls. I want to know everything about that place, especially what happened last summer" ordered Lock. Jennifer acknowledged the order.

At the Excalibur Institute, Albert was re-organising his garrison after the battle at Butterfly Castle, which saw Bill's accursed book destroyed once and for all. The new recruits were sworn in, and Kilstone was busy briefing them on who Excalibur were, and what they did.

"They're a little green, but I'll get them into shape within the month" updated Kilstone.

"Good, and the other matter?" replied Albert.

"We've found no evidence that Bill left anything else behind that could see him return. Personally, I think we've seen the last of him" Kilstone responded.

"This entire institute was founded on the premise that Bill was never truly defeated. We cannot afford to let our guard down" Albert reminded Kilstone.

"Captain, if I may say so, it would be a waste of resources pursuing this any further. If anything Bill-related pops up, we'll deal with it as we always do" countered Kilstone.

"Maybe you're right. I've just spent so long fighting him, I've grown a sense of paranoia" Albert conceded. Just then, Albert's yeoman buzzed on the comms.

"Excuse me, sir. You have a caller waiting in your office" said the yeoman.

"On my way" Albert acknowledged, and left Kilstone to the new recruits. When Albert got to his office, he took the call. Albert was disturbed by what the caller had to say. Albert thanked them for updating him, and he hung up. Albert then proceeded to call his superior, Major Smith. Of course, that wasn't his real name, Major Smith was just a title, but whenever they had correspondence, Smith's identity was obscured for security reasons.

"What is it, Captain?" Smith asked.

"Sir, Congressman Lock of Oregon has started asking questions about Wierdmageddon. He seems to believe there's more to it than the official story" Albert briefed.

"Does he suspect anything?" inquired Smith.

"I don't think so, but according to my agent, he has ordered an investigation into the town itself" Albert answered.

"That is troubling. Does he suspect anything about us?" quizzed Smith.

"I don't know, sir. It may be possible" Albert replied.

"Keep out of his way until further notice. I'll make preparations to ensure the truth stays hidden" Smith instructed. Albert acknowledged the orders, and the call was terminated.

Author's note: I hope everyone had a good Christmas and will have a great New Year. This is my first fic of 2018, hope you enjoy it. If any of you are worried about the lack of Gravity Falls characters in this chapter, more will come that will feature them, this is just setting the stage, if you will. The usual disclaimers, I own nothing. Alex Hirsch and Disney own Gravity Falls. Enjoy.


	2. Uncomfortable questions

**Uncomfortable questions**

What should have been an average day in the home of the Pines family turned into a moment of dread for Dipper, Mabel and Pacifica. That morning, the family watched a news broadcast that raised concerns.

"Congressman Lock of Oregon has ordered an official investigation into the town of Gravity Falls. When asked to explain his controversial actions so soon to election season, he replied 'I have reason to believe the town is more than a simple tourist attraction. New evidence that I cannot share leads me to believe Bill appeared there first before the Cipher War.' It is said that the local mayor is co-operating with officials, albeit reluctantly. Stay tuned for further updates." The newsreader announced.

Upon hearing this, Mr. and Mrs. Pines grew concerned, and curious, as to what actually happened in Gravity Falls when they sent Dipper and Mabel there that one summer.

"Right, you two. Your father and I want to know everything that happened in Gravity Falls while you were there. Whatever you say, we'll believe" insisted Mrs. Pines. Dipper and Mabel did not know how to react to this. What would they say, that the first day there, Mabel almost married a thousand gnomes? Or that their Grunkle Stan got arrested by government officials for building a doomsday weapon? But the twins both agreed not to share specific details on Wierdmageddon, for fear of never being allowed out the house.

"Well…" started Dipper and Mabel simultaneously, and they proceeded to recount the events of that summer they spent in Gravity Falls, every detail they could share. Of course, the twins also told their parents that they were sworn to secrecy about Wierdmageddon. But they left out the part about what happened after, with Excalibur and the events leading up to the Cipher War.

"This is a lot to take in. Had we known what a trouble magnet that place was, we would've never sent you there. I mean, dinosaurs, alien spacecraft and that flying triangle. That place should be quarantined!" summarised Mrs. Pines.

"Not to mention the ghost haunting Northwest Manor. You must've been scared witless, Pacifica" addressed Mr. Pines.

"It wasn't all bad. I met Dipper during that incident" assured Pacifica. When telling the story of how Dipper and Pacifica first met, the twins left out the part where she acted like a spoiled brat, mainly because Pacifica wasn't that person anymore. Since being with Dipper, she felt less like a Northwest, and more like a Pines, and everyone treated her as one of the family, especially Mabel, who was already planning the wedding.

"I need to call Shermy, see if this twin brother story holds true. Be back in a minute" excused Mr. Pines, and he went to the telephone to call his father. Meanwhile, Mrs. Pines was pacing back and forth, thinking about what to do next.

"Is this, in any way, connected to these rumours I keep hearing about some super-secret government institute?" quizzed Mrs. Pines. Dipper, Mabel and Pacifica knew about these rumours for some time, and agreed not to tell a soul about the Excalibur Institute, or its activities, because while their methods were questionable, it had all been in the name of homeworld security, and without them there would be no defence against threats like Bill.

"No, the weirdness in Gravity Falls is all self-contained. Ford told me that the anomalies found in that town cannot travel beyond its borders" Dipper clarified.

"So, in a way, Gravity Falls is already quarantined" added Mabel.

"If that's the case, why not evacuate the people if there are such dangers there?" inquired Mrs. Pines.

"For the same reason people don't want to leave San Fransisco despite living on top of an extremely shaky faultline, people like living there" answered Dipper.

"Then they're all barking mad" replied Mrs. Pines. Just then, Mr. Pines emerged from the telephone conversation with Shermy.

"Apparently, there was a twin brother of Stanford named Stanley, who was kicked out of the family when Shermy was just a baby" explained Mr. Pines.

"So, who have you two been living with when we sent you to Gravity Falls, Stanford or Stanley?" asked Mrs. Pines.

"Stanley, who took Stanford's name after he got sucked into the portal he built in his basement. But it was for a good reason" answered Mabel.

"What possible reason could you have to take your twin brother's name after he goes missing?" countered Mrs. Pines.

"The fact that Stanley was indirectly responsible, and from then on, started a 30-year mission to try and get him back, but he needed money, hence he turned the house into a tourist trap. After he got settled into his new role, Stanley faked his death via car crash to shake off any connections to his past to start anew" summarised Dipper.

"I see, and did he succeed?" wondered Mrs. Pines.

"Eventually, yes. The pair of them are on a round-the-world trip as we speak, fulfilling their childhood dream" finished Mabel. The Pines parents still did not know what to make of all this. By the time Dipper and Mabel finished their story, it was getting late.

"We'll talk more about this tomorrow morning, when we've had a chance to sleep on it. For now, we're satisfied with what you've told us. Thank you for being truthful with us. Off to bed, all of you" concluded Mrs. Pines, and everyone went to their rooms. Dipper kissed Pacifica goodnight, and went to his shared room with Mabel. The Pines twins found it hard to get to sleep that night. They had secretly hoped that they would not have to tell their parents about Gravity Falls, or that they would play it off as the imaginations of children gone wild, but with this investigation, all bets were off.

"Dipper, do you think that the government will decide to do something about Gravity Falls after this Lock guy is done with his investigation?" wondered Mabel.

"Since everyone is so on edge after the Cipher War, I'm almost certain of it. I'm also afraid any interference may destroy the delicate balance of that place" Dipper answered, grimly.

"We should warn somebody, Soos, Wendy, anyone. Have you tried getting word to Ford?" Mabel suggested.

"Last I heard, he and Stanley were in Africa, but that was weeks ago, they could be anywhere by now" Dipper countered.

"It wouldn't hurt to try. What about Albert, does he know?" inquired Mabel.

"He has orders to stay out of Lock's way. We can't risk exposing Excalibur by taking direct action against an official government investigation" Dipper explained.

"If you ask me, Excalibur's already exposed. You heard Mum, there's rumours all over the place. Sooner or later, someone will find out" Mabel said, bleakly.

"No way, Mabel. I promised the first Major Smith that I would keep Excalibur, and the world, safe from all kinds of external threats, and I intend to do exactly that" Dipper vowed.

"He's dead, and so is Bill. Don't you think the need for Excalibur is gone?" countered Mabel.

"You never know, Mabel. If there's anything I've learned, it's that the next external threat is waiting just around the corner, and we need to be ready, especially after the Butterfly Castle incident" Dipper reiterated.

"I still can't believe Albert got to ride a unicorn and I didn't" Mabel pouted. Dipper chuckled at this.

"Maybe next time. Goodnight Mabel" Dipper wished. Mabel said goodnight back, and the twins went to sleep.

Earlier that same day, in Swamp City, the Murphy family were having dinner, while watching the same news broadcast on T.V. Milo did not know what to make of it. Of course, he knew that Gravity Falls was the site of Bill's first defeat, but he always assumed that was it, he never knew there was more to that place. To himself, he also wondered if these same people investigating the town also knew of Excalibur. If so, he predicted he would have a lot of questions to answer, and he wasn't looking forward to it.

"I don't get it. What do they think they're going to find there?" wondered Milo.

"Leftovers from the Cipher War, perhaps? I don't know, seems far 'fetched to me" answered Sara.

"Do you think Excalibur's involved?" inquired Martin, Milo and Sara's father.

"I hope not. Last thing I want is to be dragged into their messes again" rebutted Sara. Despite everything, Sara still held some resentment towards Excalibur for having Milo spied on, kidnapped, and almost got him killed.

"Maybe you should ask Shane what he knows about this, provided Excalibur still talks to him" suggested Brigette, Milo and Sara's mother.

"I doubt it, he wasn't actually an agent, just someone who owed Excalibur. Still, he may know something about Gravity Falls. I'll ask him tomorrow at school" agreed Milo. Just then, Sara got a call on her cell phone, and went into the other room to take it.

"Hello?" Sara answered. The call came from an unknown number.

"I hear you've got some issues with the group known as Excalibur. I'm calling on behalf of individuals who want to see this particular organisation exposed, and ultimately, destroyed" the unknown caller responded. Sara was immediately alarmed.

"Who are you, and how did you get this number?!" Sara demanded.

"The answers to both these questions are irrelevant, do you want to see Excalibur exposed or not?" pressed the mystery caller. Sara thought about this. If there was anything she couldn't abide by, it was anyone messing with her family. Excalibur had endangered Milo with their actions, and she could never forgive them.

"Yes" Sara answered, finally.

"Then meet me at the park tomorrow night. Come alone" the unknown caller concluded, and hung up. Sara had no idea what she was getting into, but it was for the greater good. At least, that's what she told herself

Author's note: I told you I would put Gravity Falls characters into this fic, and I did. No-one doubted me, did they? The first chapter was the set-up for what would be happening in the overall story. Apologies if it lacked any memorable characters, I hope I've made up for it here. I'm still waiting for questions the readers want to ask Dipper and Pacifica, or anyone else involved with the upcoming Valentine's Day special. For anyone who is wondering, the reason I put the same thing on four separate pages is to gives fans of one show but haven't seen any of the others a fair shot to ask questions they want to ask Star and Marco, or Phineas and Isabella, or Milo and Amanda. The usual disclaimers, I own nothing. Alex Hirsch owns Gravity Falls, Dan and Swampy own Milo Murphy's Law, and Disney owns both. Enjoy!


	3. A web unravelling

**A web unravelling**

Since Mayor Tyler was reluctant to discuss any connections between Gravity Falls and Bill Cipher, Lock decided to ask the inhabitants, in the hopes that one of them would give him the answers he so craved. Since his 'summoning', he had heard nothing from the five strong panel of judges, whose very direct interrogation brought on this unpleasantness. All the inhabitants gave him the same response.

"We're sworn to secrecy. That is all" was the go-to response all questioned gave regarding Bill. However, regarding the other weird happenings, they were more than eager to share their stories. A waitress/diner owner called Lazy Susan talked about ghosts haunting a convenience store at one point last summer. Another, a lumberjack who called himself Manly Dan, could've sworn he saw an actual gnome while logging in the forest. In truth, Lock was thankful Bill invaded, because had he not, he would've assumed everyone here had lost their mind.

"Jennifer, what am I to do? I can't present this to Congress. I'll be a laughing stock" said Lock.

"If I may, sir, this seems so much like something you would see in a child's storybook. What would Bill want in this place?" wondered Jennifer. Lock thought about what she just said, and had an idea.

"Maybe it's not the place he was interested in, maybe it was the people in it. Do we have records of who lived here last summer?" inquired Lock.

"I'll punch up some records, sir" replied Jennifer, and she searched through the town's population records on her laptop. She found something interesting. "It doesn't differ much, but there is one notable exception. On a hunch, I went through newspaper records of that time, and compared them with census data. I found one anomaly, the Pines family" explained Jennifer.

"Clarification request" said Lock.

"During the events of last summer, two twins named Dipper and Mabel Pines appeared a number of times on the front page of the local newspaper, but official records say they are residents of Piedmont, California" clarified Jennifer.

"Interesting, anyone else named Pines in residence here at that time?" asked Lock, almost certain he was closing in.

"Just one, a Stanford Pines, their great-uncle. I have an address" responded Jennifer.

"Great, we'll head there at once" concluded Lock.

"Just one problem, sir. At the end of last summer, the deed was transferred to a Jesus Ramirez. He's the homeowner now" interjected Jennifer.

"Maybe he has some answers" reasoned Lock, and he set off for the address Jennifer gave him in his car. When he got there, he found a tourist trap called the Mystery Shack, and wondered if he made a wrong turn. When Lock asked if he had the right place, Jennifer assured him this was it.

"The residence was turned into a tourist trap just over thirty years ago. The family lived and worked here" Jennifer added. Just then, Lock got a call on his cell, and took it alone.

"Hello?" Lock greeted.

"I hear you're investigating Gravity Falls. I take it that means you believe us?" the unknown caller asked.

"Look, I can't deny that this town is strange, but I doubt it's hiding a super-secret government institute like you people claim" Lock countered.

"You can investigate the town all you like, we've started our own inquiry into Excalibur, here and in other places" the mystery person rebuffed.

"Then why did you call me?" demanded Lock.

"To warn you, trust no-one. If you want to work with us, meet us at the water tower this evening. We will wait one hour, from 8pm, but you are to come alone and tell no-one where you're going. Understood?" warned the judge.

"Perfectly" Lock seethed, and hung up. Lock started thinking. Why now? Why wait until part way into his investigation into Gravity Falls for them to call him out of the blue, deliver cryptic warnings and arrange a meet? The most important question on his mind concerning these people is who they were? Nevertheless, he came to this town to do a job, and one way or another, he was going to do it. He entered the establishment and was greeted by its owner.

"Welcome to the Mystery Shack, home of wonders beyond your wildest dreams. Interested in a tour?" said the owner, who referred to himself as Soos.

"Not this time, I'm here to ask some questions, Mr. Ramirez" rebuffed Lock. Soos knew about the investigation, and was slightly troubled.

"I'll tell you what everyone else already has, we're sworn to secrecy" countered Soos.

"I'm not here to ask about Bill. No, my line of inquiry concerns the Pines family, and your association with them" Lock replied. This threw Soos off-guard.

"The Pines family don't live here, anymore. The twins are back in California, and the previous owner left on a round-the-world trip" Soos said, panicked by this man asking about his close friends.

"What sort of activity did the Pines family get up to whilst they were here?" inquired Lock. Now Soos was really worried. This man was obviously phishing for answers about the Pines, for some reason. What he didn't know was why. He decided to play it safe.

"Nothing special, just getting some work experience over the summer, and to experience the great outdoors, for once" responded Soos.

"Oh, really. I suppose this has nothing to do with, and I quote 'Lil' Gideon in Big House'. The article accompanying that headline goes into detail about how the Pines twins defeated a fraudulent 'psychic' who was spying on everyone. Or the incident at Northwest Manor?" interrogated Lock. Soos had finally decided he'd had enough of this.

"I don't know what you want with those twins, but you'd best leave them alone. They've been through enough" warned Soos.

"From Wierdmageddon? Oh, yes, your local newspaper makes quite the read, Mr. Ramirez, despite the fact it lacks details. Why is that?" countered Lock.

"I think you should leave, now" Soos half suggested, half ordered, and Lock left the Mystery Shack, vowing that he would get answers. When Lock was driving back to his office, some thoughts went to his head. If the Pines twins knew about Bill's first coming, then it was obvious that they be the ones he should question. Of course, questioning kids was not easy, all that red tape. He also can't just approach them while they are at school without their parents being notified. Still, those kids were his best shot at some answers, and he might have a way to get to them.

It was late that night, and Lock decided, against his better judgement, to go to the water tower to meet his mysterious allies. He told his family he had to work late at the office, and Jennifer to take the rest of the afternoon off. Once he was sure no-one was watching or following him, he made his way to the Gravity Falls water tower. He took several winding roads, often double backing on himself, to shake off any potential pursuers. After a half hour of driving, he arrived at the tower, where the shadowy figures were waiting for him.

"You took great pains to ensure you weren't followed" observed one of the shadows.

"Being a congressman also makes you a target. I learned early on how to blend in amongst regular traffic" said Lock.

"This is good. We cannot risk exposure, especially now, when we have come so close" responded the second shadow.

"No-one in Gravity Falls is talking, but I think I may have a lead. It'll be difficult, but I think I can pull it off. The Pines twins may be the key to unravelling this mystery" recounted Lock.

"Which set?" asked the first shadow.

"There's more than one? I was on about the ones called Dipper and Mabel" answered Lock.

"Ah, now we understand your difficulty. Too many red flags arise when dealing with minors. You should hold off for now" instructed the second shadow.

"What, but I'm so close!" rebuked Lock.

"We have a lead of our own. If it is as we suspect, our investigations are destined to cross" clarified the other shadow.

"What do you mean?" quizzed Lock.

"Do nothing for now, and await our next call. All will become clear then" finalised the first shadow, and the figures disappeared into the night. Lock made his way back home after the meeting.

"This is getting worse all the time" Lock lamented to himself.

That same night, at Swamp City, Sara made her way to the park, as instructed by her anonymous caller. When she arrived, she was greeted by a similar shadowy figure.

"You came. Good, my associates would fear you'd back out" greeted the figure.

"Before this goes any further, I want your assurance that Milo won't get involved. Excalibur already put him through enough" asserted Sara.

"Rest easy, we won't so much as approach Milo. With you helping us, we won't have to" assured the figure. Sara was slightly relieved to hear this.

"If you want to bring down Excalibur, I can get you inside. I've done it before, to rescue Milo when they had him kidnapped, along with two other individuals who aren't so keen on having Excalibur around, either" explained Sara. This piqued the figure's interest.

"Now you've got my undivided attention" said the figure, and he and Sara discussed how they would infiltrate Excalibur.

Author's note: Sorry this took so long. Between the Valentine's Special and getting into other interests, such as the Loud House and Horizon: Zero Dawn, I guess I've been putting this story off. I haven't got a lot of questions to ask the couples for the aforementioned special, but what I've got so far has been really great. Another thing putting me off writing this, is I have genuinely no idea what I'm going to do going forward. I haven't even come up with identities for all the judges yet, I have one, but not all. The usual disclaimers, I own nothing. Alex Hirsch owns Gravity Falls, Dan and Swampy own Milo Murphy's Law, and Disney owns both. Enjoy.


	4. Seeking the truth

**Seeking the truth**

Using the information the judges got from Sara Murphy, as well as other sources who also had a beef with Excalibur, it was decided that the judge sent to Swamp City would be the one to infiltrate the organisation. Sara had opted to stay out of this mission, partly because Excalibur would recognise her and put the mission at risk, and also because she had enough of espionage antics for one lifetime. According to a scientist called Heinz Doofenshmirtz in Danville, he had been coerced into building Excalibur a machine that could sap the phenomenon known as Murphy's Law out of a host. He had also dropped hints that the captain wasn't really the one in charge, but a secretive person known only as Major Smith, and that no-one in the institute knew his actual name.

The judge sent to Echo Creek to investigate the missing boy also turned up some tidbits. The boy, named Marco Diaz, voluntarily left Earth to stay with his princess girlfriend, Star Butterfly, but had returned on one occasion, accompanied by a set of twins, the Pines, and were whisked away to parts unknown shortly afterwards. This was everything they could get out of the residents, and the panel felt that it was time to head to the source. Using the same tactic Sara herself used to get into the complex, the Swamp City judge had entered the building.

"I'm in, maintaining radio silence until the mission is complete" updated the judge. The plan was simple; get into the captain's office, plant a bug on his communications equipment, and, hopefully, trace any transmissions he makes to Major Smith in an effort to deduce their true identity. The complex interior resembled a military base more than it did an intelligence agency, and one had to wonder how it had stayed hidden for so long. On the outside, the other judges stood ready to assist if they were needed. It wasn't long before the captain was within sight, and standing beside him was what looked like his XO and his yeoman

"All the rookies are settled and briefed, sir. Our garrison is fully replenished" briefed the XO, whom the captain called Kilstone.

"Good, has there been any update on Lock's investigation of Gravity Falls?" inquired the captain, who was called Albert, according to sources.

"So far he's not uncovered anything suspicious, but our sources indicate he is getting irritated at the town's silence on Bill, not to mention he's heard some stories about other phenomena around the town" answered the woman who looked like his yeoman. Albert looked to be in deep thought.

"Major Smith will want an update, so let's make the troop inspection brief this time" Albert concluded, and the two men carried on their business. This was the opportunity the judges were waiting for, and the window was small. The spy made his way to Albert's office, found the lock mildly difficult to pick, and made his way inside. On the desk, he found a laptop that looked like the one Albert used to call Major Smith, and planted the bug. He then immediately got out of there, and proceeded to find a suitable exit, taking care to avoid being seen too much or talking to anybody. After all, he had expert infiltration training. Once he was out, he reunited with the other judges.

"For a supposed black ops organisation, getting in and out is far too easy" remarked the spying judge.

"Don't count your chickens just yet. We still need to wait and see if we were successful" replied another judge. They were monitoring the planted bug, and sure enough, activity started appearing on the monitors. A transmission was being made.

"Status, Captain?" asked Major Smith.

"Our forces have recovered from the battle at Butterfly Castle, and there is more regarding the Lock situation" answered Albert.

"Has he discovered anything significant?" inquired Major Smith.

"Nothing about Bill or Excalibur, but he does know the place has some rather unique qualities" responded Albert.

"We cannot risk the strangeness of that town leaking to the rest of the world. Its self-containment can only hold for so long" warned Major Smith.

"There is more, sir. According to my agent in his office, Lock has been acting oddly, going out at night without telling anyone where he's going, and he seems more on edge than usual" updated Albert.

"You suspect there is more than a simple investigation?" quizzed Major Smith.

"In this line of work, anything's possible" remarked Albert.

"I agree. We may need to press Lock about his activities. If there is a third party involved, we need to ensure Excalibur is safe. Head to Lock's office, and see what's been going on in the shadows" ordered Major Smith. Albert acknowledged the order, and the call was terminated. Unbeknownst to Albert, the trace was a success.

"We have enough to trace the IP address of the other laptop. Just a few more seconds and, there. An address in Piedmont, California" summarised one of the judges.

"Let me guess, Pines" said the spy.

"It looks that way. The IP address belongs to a laptop registered to a Dipper Pines" said the other judge.

"We have a chance to kill two birds with one stone here. Call Lock and tell him what we've learned. In the meantime, I'll have our contacts in California pick up the boy" ordered the head judge, and the trap was set.

When Albert arrived at Lock's office, he wondered to himself how he should approach this. Straightforward, like with Cavendish and Dakota, or subtle and friendly like with Phineas. He decided that the best way is to be open and hope for the best. The time came to enter Lock's office, but the scene that greeted him, Albert was not prepared for. Lock was already waiting for him outside, as if he was expecting Albert, and by the look on his face, he wasn't happy.

"So, care to explain why you've been spying on me?" Lock asked, angrily. Albert looked to Jennifer, and the look on her face said it all.

"If I may ask, who told you about us?" inquired Albert, as politely as he could.

"Now that you mention it, I don't really know myself. Keep to the shadows, that lot do. But that doesn't take away from the fact you have had an agent in my office. How long has this been going on?!" demanded Lock. Albert knew the game was up, and decided on the honest approach.

"It is a long story, Lock, so please sit down, and I will tell you everything" gestured Albert, and he and Lock took seats. Albert then explained about Bill, Wierdmageddon and Excalibur, and why it had to be such a secret, acknowledging the failings that led to the Cipher War.

"Oh, my goodness. If people had known they almost stared down Armageddon….." began Lock.

"There would've been mass panic. Hence the need for our organisation. Not only do we fight the evils that regular security cannot, we also keep it a secret from the general populace. As for Major Smith, it was decided by myself that their identity remain a secret, even from the staff, for security reasons" explained Albert.

"So the population of Gravity Falls only kept it a secret because you asked them to. This explains a lot. But what will I tell Congress?" wondered Lock.

"You have two options. One, you can tell them the truth, exposing Excalibur and rendering us unable to protect the homeworld, or two, you can work with us to get to the bottom of this panel of judges you've described to me" offered Albert. Lock thought about this. While Excalibur's methods may seem questionable, it wasn't unlike other intelligence agencies. In his childhood, Lock delved into the Roswell conspiracy, and always wondered what it would be like. If it was for the sake of the homeworld, Lock could keep a few secrets.

"Alright, I'll work with you. But not for you. I'll keep your secret, but you need to provide me with something to bring to Congress" concluded Lock. Albert turned to Jennifer.

"Prepare a press release for our friend here. He is to tell the people that the phenomena in Gravity Falls is due to environmental pollution caused by the Northwest Mud Flaps, and that there is no connection between Gravity Falls and Bill Cipher" ordered Albert. Jennifer acknowledged the order, but took an unexpected call.

"Sir, Kilstone wants to get a hold of you urgently. I'll put him through" Jennifer said, and Albert was through to Kilstone. The resulting conversation was one of dread, and one Albert hoped beyond hope he would never hear. He hung up the phone, and sent a text message on his own phone to Dipper and Mabel, containing two simple words; they know.

"Something has come up, Excalibur thanks you for your co-operation" Albert concluded, and rushed out the door.

In California, Dipper had taken Pacifica out to dinner for their date night. It was a modest place, unlike the places Pacifica normally saw when she was living with her parents, and she found it more lively than those stuck-up fancy places, which she admired.

"For a restaurant with only four stars, this is a lot better than my usual places. In those you could hear a pin drop" Pacifica mused.

"The 1% not much for conversation then?" Dipper asked.

"Not really, unless it was about their investments or which company they took over. It was so boring" Pacifica reminisced.

"Not to mention the fancy dress. That must have been awkward" Dipper added.

"And the over-abundance of knives and forks. It's just a fork, no need to categorise it like you do everything else" Pacifica joked, and they both laughed. Dipper then went to settle the bill, when he got a two word message from Albert. It was at that moment he saw a familiar face at the pay station.

"Agent Powers" Dipper noted.

"Dipper, is it? I take it you know why I'm here?" Powers asked. Dipper knew how this was going to go down.

"How do we do this?" Dipper inquired, grimly.

"The place is surrounded, no chance of escape. We have a warrant. You have a lot to answer for, Major Smith" Powers retorted.

"Let Pacifica go, she has nothing to do with Excalibur, and I'll come with you" Dipper bargained. Powers accepted, noting that Dipper was all he wanted anyway. After Dipper paid for dinner, the cuffs went on. Pacifica saw what was going on, and a myriad of thoughts entered her mind.

"Don't worry, Pacifica. I'll be out in no time" Dipper assured his panicking girlfriend.

"I hope so" Pacifica replied, tearfully, as Dipper was led away into the police cruiser, and taken to the station.

Off the California coast, the Stan O'War 2 was being docked at the marina, where Stanley and Stanford were hoping to visit their great niece and nephew before setting off for South America.

"I still can't believe this in one of the states you aren't banned from. What did you get up to all those years?" Stanford asked his twin.

"So many scams I honestly lost track. It's a time of my life I leave buried and forgotten. Wonder what Dipper and Mabel are up to" answered Stanley. As if to answer that question, Stanford directed his twin to a news broadcast playing on a bar T.V. which made the two men recoil in horror.

"Police today have arrested 14-year-old Mason Pines, better known as Dipper, on suspicion of conspiracy and espionage. Acting on evidence acquired in an independent investigation, authorities have linked the boy to the rumoured Excalibur Institute. More on this as the story develops" announced the newsreader.

"You have got to be kidding" remarked Stanley.

"You're telling me. We have to go to Piedmont and clear his name" decided Stanford.

"So his real name is Mason. I thought his parents hated him" said Stanley. Stanford would respond, but urgency disallowed it. He and Stanley got a cab to Piedmont, and set off for their next escapade.

Author's note: As noted in the previous chapter, Agent Powers is one of the judges. I have a relative idea on the other judges' identities as well, I hope they work. Also, writer's block is one tough mistress. I think I have a clear vision on what to do next, it's just wording the story so it makes sense. The usual disclaimers, I won nothing. Alex Hirsch owns Gravity Falls, Dan and Swampy own Milo Murphy's Law and Phineas and Ferb, Daron Nefcy owns SVTFOE and Disney owns all of them. Enjoy.


	5. The problem with Pines

**The problem with Pines**

After Pacifica left the restaurant, her first thought was to call Mabel, but she was not answering her phone for some reason. Maybe the agent who nabbed Dipper had a partner sent for her as well. She couldn't stomach the thought of both her best friend and boyfriend being locked up. She then decided to call Mr. and Mrs. Pines to get some answers.

"Pacifica? Thank goodness. Can you tell me what in blazes is going on?" asked Mrs. Pines, in a panicked tone.

"What, I was hoping you could tell me" Pacifica answered.

"Well, some suits turned up at our doorstep with a search warrant for Dipper and Mabel's room, right before Mabel herself dashes out the house, claiming to be hanging out with her friends from Gravity Falls who came down to visit" explained Mrs. Pines.

"I haven't heard from Mabel since this morning. I've tried calling her but she's not picking up. I'm afraid Dipper's been grabbed by authorities. They're accusing him of conspiracy and espionage" Pacifica added. If anything could be interpreted of Mrs. Pines' reaction at that point, it would be utter shock.

"Please, get back here. I'm sure this has to be a mistake; and do be careful" instructed Mrs. Pines. Pacifica acknowledged, and made her way back to the Pines house. She knew that at least one member of the Pines family had more than their share of run-ins with the law, but nothing could ever make her believe she was dating a criminal. But all she could do now is hope for the best.

Mabel, thankfully, had gotten Albert's message just in time, and was able to get out of the house before the search team came calling. She was also able to keep out of their sights, and was making her way to the safe house Albert had set up in Piedmont, in the likelihood that this would happen some day. As luck would have it, she arrived without attracting attention, and Albert was there, waiting for her.

"How do they know?" was the first question out of Mabel's mouth the second she walked in the door.

"I had a tech team scour my office from head to toe as soon as I heard. They found a bug on my computer that traced the last transmission to your brother's laptop. Now I'm facing questions as to whether or not Excalibur's run by teenagers in secret" Albert answered.

"What do we do now?" wondered Mabel.

"Since your brother's not here with you, we have to assume he's been caught. We're on our own. But don't worry, we'll get Dipper out of this" Albert assured.

"How?" responded Mabel.

"I think Dipper's in the better position. We need to know who's after Excalibur if we're going to stop them. If I'm right, the judges will probably want to interrogate Dipper themselves. Is he still wearing that watch I got him for his 14th birthday?" Albert briefed.

"He never takes it off" said Mabel.

"Good. It's a listening device" Albert added, and he got out a laptop. He booted it up, started up some programs, and what looked like a recording app was launched. "This will let us listen in on Dipper's hosts". All Albert and Mabel could do now was wait and listen for any clues they could use against their unknown aggressors.

At the police station, Dipper was being fingerprinted and had his mugshots taken. After the usual proceedings, he was led to the interrogation room, where Agent Powers was waiting on the other side of the desk.

"Dipper Pines, I must say, when we started looking for Major Smith, I never imagined he would be a teenage boy just barely out of middle school. Maybe Excalibur's not as big of a threat as I thought they would be" Powers mocked. Unbeknownst to all involved, Albert and Mabel were listening intently.

"That's one of the government guys who grabbed Grunkle Stan. I thought his memory was erased" Mabel described. On the other end, Dipper was laughing.

"You honestly think that the leader of Excalibur is a schoolboy. Next, you'll be telling me their chief of operations is in kindergarten" Dipper chuckled.

"What if I were to tell you we found a way in, bugged the captain's computer, and traced the last transmission to the laptop we found in you and your sister's room? Where is Mabel, by the way? She wasn't at the house when we came knocking" demanded Powers

"Like I know where my sister is. You found me on a date with my girlfriend" Dipper retorted.

"Don't get smart with me, boy. Conspiracy and espionage are no laughing matter. We've been doing some digging, and have more than enough to charge you with kidnapping, blackmail and spying on government officials. You won't see the light of day for a very long time" Powers responded.

"You say 'we' a lot, but I only see one of you. If you want to charge me, then I believe I have the right to face my accusers" Dipper remarked. Although Powers sympathised with Dipper's desire to face his accusers, he could not take the risk that Excalibur could be listening.

"In due time, kid. For now, we're heading to Washington" Powers concluded.

After a lengthy cab ride, where Stanley begrudgingly paid extra for the cabby to speed up, he and Stanford arrived at the police station where Dipper was being held.

"OK, one more time, I pose as the Pines family lawyer, wait for your signal and get out as fast as possible with Dipper. You ready, Ford?" Stanley reiterated. Ford confirmed he was ready, and Stanley went inside. He was greeted at the front desk.

"Can I help you, sir?" asked the receptionist.

"Yes, I'm the Pines family lawyer. I was told that one of my clients was being held here and I'd like to represent him in this case. Here is my ID" lied Stanley, and he presented a fake ID from his scamming days. The receptionist pointed him in the direction of the interview room and notified the officers that Dipper's legal team had arrived. When Stanley entered the interview room, he was immediately greeted by Agent Powers.

"Wait a minute, haven't I seen you before?" inquired Agent Powers, looking Stanley over with interest. Stanley knew that Powers was the one who interrogated him back in Gravity Falls about the super-portal, but he thought Powers' memory had been erased. It was clear to Stanley that something had changed.

"Ford, cut the power!" Stanley barked into the earpiece, and the lights went out. Stanley took this moment to overpower Dipper's captor, grab the cuff keys, and undo Dipper's bindings.

"Grunkle Stan, what are you doing here?" Dipper wondered.

"No time to explain, don't you recognise a jailbreak when you see one? Come on, let's get out of here" Stanley pressed urgently, and he and Dipper used the emergency exit under cover of darkness to escape. Back at the Excalibur safehouse, Albert and Mabel were listening to the whole affair.

"Well, so much for unmasking our enemies" Albert remarked, and he and Mabel set off to find Dipper. Luckily, the watch was also a tracking device, so Albert always knew where Dipper was when it was active. The two got into a car; and set off for Dipper's current location. Once Dipper was out, Stanley paid the cabbie what he had left to drive as far away from the marina as possible and not to stop for police sirens. The ruse seemed to work a second time, and Dipper, Stanley and Stanford got clean away with no pursuit. Ford did not know how to process this current dilemma.

"Dipper, please tell me you aren't involved with Excalibur. I had time to delve into their files the last time we were at one of their safe houses; they're not exactly ideal people to be working with" Ford pleaded. Dipper did not answer right away. He wanted to tell Ford the truth, but not at a place where they could be overheard.

"Come with me to a safe house. I'll tell you everything once we're there, I promise" Dipper pledged.

"Where's Mabel? I thought you two were inseparable" Stanley quizzed.

"She bolted before the search team arrived. She could be anywhere" Dipper answered. Now the two great uncles were even more confused. Why run if you're innocent? The only thing greater than their confusion was their worry about Mabel. Had she been grabbed too? Were their great niece and nephew involved in government conspiracies? About half way to the safe house, a car pulled up by them. Dipper, Stanley and Stanford instinctively hid behind the bushes, until Dipper recognised a familiar face.

"Mabel! Are you OK?" Dipper called out, and met his sister, along with Albert.

"I'm fine. Made it to the safe house before anyone could find me. We know how they found you out, but not who these judges are. Wish we had more time" Mabel lamented.

"Regardless, we should head back and plan our next move" Albert suggested, but the great uncles had other ideas.

"Hey, I remember you. You're that captain who pulled us away from that African island to fight in your little Cipher War. What are you doing here?!" Stanley demanded.

"Not now, Stanley. As Dipper has already said, all will be answered once we get back, now let's get going before we're found" Albert insisted. Stanley didn't like this idea, but was hardly in a position to argue, and reluctantly agreed to accompany Albert to the safe house. Once there, the obvious questions were immediately asked.

"How deep does your involvement with Excalibur go?" asked Ford, grimly. Dipper, Mabel and Albert agreed that, since Ford was a clever man and he would find out anyway, the truth was the best option.

"The judges were right, if only half way. I am Major Smith, and so is Mabel" Dipper confessed. Stan and Ford did not know what to make of this revelation. Ford had known of Dipper's ambition, but he never expected this. Stan was at a loss. No offence to Mabel, but Stan could not picture her as the leader of a secret government organisation.

"Let me get this straight, we busted you out of the klink for something you actually did do?! What are you thinking getting involved with these people?" Stanley interrogated.

"If I may, gentlemen. You must know that Dipper and Mabel were not my first choice. The plan was to recruit someone who had experience fighting Bill to guide the institute into defeating him. Ideally, we would've contacted you two, but you were unreachable" explained Albert.

"You're telling us, with all your resources, you couldn't find two old men on a boat. Seems someone's got budget problems" Ford jabbed.

"We can only find people if they have a device with internet access. If it has a camera, it's eyes and ears for us" Albert countered.

"Also, we only took the role because the first Major Smith asked us to, before he died" Dipper added.

"Oh, really, and how old was he when that happened?" inquired Stanley. The conversation took an uncomfortable turn. Dipper and Mabel promised answers, though, so no use holding back now.

"Not much older than we are now" Mabel sadly answered. Stanley was close to losing his cool. He immediately faced Albert.

"What is it with you, getting kids involved in your organisation, knowing it's dangerous. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't throw you to the wolves!" Stanley demanded.

"Because without the first Major Smith's sacrifice, Excalibur wouldn't have been possible, the Cipher War would've started much sooner and we would've had no defences. It is regrettable that he is gone, but I honour that sacrifice every day by keeping Excalibur strong and the world safe. Not long ago, we prevented Bill's return via that book you two found on the same island we met" Albert rebutted. Stanford, however, was having none of it.

"I bet the first Major Smith had a family, one that is probably crying themselves to sleep over their lost son, grieving over his future that will never come to pass, and probably want justice" Ford said.

"He knew what he was getting into. He could've walked away, but he chose to fight the good fight, even if it meant never coming back. If anyone is to blame, it's Bill" Albert countered.

"We'd rather blame you" came an angry voice from outside. Stanley then noticed a small device on his clothes, and now realised that, during the struggle, Powers planted a tracker on him. No wonder the escape was so easy. Albert and the rest vacated the safe house, to find cars waiting for them, and the five judges, all assembled, and unmasked. Agent Powers and Trigger were there, along with three civilians Albert recognised.

"Stanley, Stanford, may I introduce the Smith family, Jerry, Beth and Summer" Albert listed.

"I expected we'd run into you at some point or another, but to find out that Morty's closest friends were running the institute that got him killed? How could this be?!" Jerry quizzed, angrily. Mabel stepped forward to address Jerry.

"Save you three, no-one is sadder about Morty than I am, but destroying his legacy won't bring him back. If you bring down Excalibur, Morty would've died for nothing. Can't you see that?" Mabel begged.

"No parent should ever outlive their child. Every day I relive the horror of losing my son and father at the same time. Now, justice is served!" Beth cried out.

"Not today, not just yet, I'm afraid" came another voice. When everyone turned around to find its source, they looked upon the face of the President, along with her secret service.

"Madam President" Albert addressed.

"At ease, captain. The Round Table has been convened. All of you will accompany me, where we will discuss recent events" the president briefed.

Author's note: I have been wanting to cross over Gravity Falls and Rick and Morty for quite some time, just never knew how to do it, until now. For my regular readers, and newcomers, you still have a week left to submit questions for the Valentine's Special before the deadline. I've got an entire A4 page worth of submissions, so there's still room. The usual disclaimers, I own nothing. Alex Hirsch and Disney own Gravity Falls, and Justin Roiland, Dan Harmon and Adult Swim own Rick and Morty. I must point out that I am only a casual fan of the show and have only seen a couple of episodes, so if I have the disclaimer wrong, please contact me. Enjoy.


	6. Knights of Camelot

**Knights of Camelot**

As Dipper, Mabel, Stanley, Stanford and Albert were escorted in the president's limo to the meeting place of the round table, Dipper chose this moment to ask the pressing question he had on his mind.

"What's the Round Table?" inquired Dipper.

"When Excalibur was first formed, the previous administration thought it best to put in place some safeguards to keep the organisation in check. To that end, the previous president approached senators and members of congress he could trust to form a council in the hopes it would never need to meet. This council would know of Excalibur's existence, and rein us in if the need arose" explained Albert.

"Where does this council meet?" asked Mabel.

"That's the thing, the designated meeting place changes every week. It shifts from state to state, seemingly at random. In fact, even I don't know where the council meets, until it is called to order, nor do I know who's on it" answered Albert.

"So why has it been called now?" quizzed Stanford, to which Albert replied that he did not know.

"We're here" called the driver, and everyone pulled out of the limo. The other car containing the Smith family already arrived, and the others were led inside. They were greeted by the sight of eleven councillors, Lock included, obviously a new member, with the president taking her seat at the table.

"I call this meeting of the Round Table to order. First things first, we'll take roll" started the president, and she listed off the councillors one by one, each stating their presence. Once she was finished, she rounded on Albert.

"We have called you here because there are questions that require an answer. The allegations made by the Smith family are disturbing. Was the institute, in any way, responsible for the deaths of the individuals known as Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith?" interrogated the president.

"No, madam president, however, the institute was present when the two persons in question met their ends. They were helping us find the statue Bill left behind after Wierdmageddon; and died delaying his return. In fact, Morty laid the foundation for the institute itself prior to his death. Without him, there would be no Excalibur" Albert answered, remorsefully.

"Is that the reason you gave him the title of Major Smith?" one of the councillors asked.

"It was awarded to him posthumously, and it was he who named his successors." Albert said.

"And you allowed this?! To place children in harm's way to achieve your ends is never acceptable!" retorted Lock.

"As I explained to the Pines earlier, I had originally intended to ask the two men you see before you, but due to their world trip, they were unreachable" Albert reiterated.

"Why not ask someone with actual military or black ops experience to take the role. Why these kids?" inquired another councillor.

"I decided that the best way to handle any tricks from Bill is to put someone who actually fought him before in charge. Save Stanley and Stanford, that left the other set of Pines twins, Dipper and Mabel. I gave them the choice to walk away, but they accepted, knowing what it would mean" Albert explained.

"I see. I would like to hear from them about this issue, if you please" the president insisted, and Albert stepped away, with Dipper and Mabel taking his place. "You chose this role of your own free will?"

"Yes, we did. We were close to Morty; and wanted to make sure his sacrifice wasn't in vain. He gave us a chance to fight back, and we took it" Dipper explained.

"If you two were so close to Morty, why did you let him die?!" Beth Smith demanded.

"He was also close to Rick, and went to try and save him, despite our objections" Mabel intervened. This, the Smith family could not deny. However much Rick and Morty argued or however different their outlooks on life were, they were thick as thieves, and stood by each other, no matter what.

"This sentimentality is distracting us from the truth; Excalibur remains a threat to national security" Agent Powers interjected.

"Says the agent who went rogue and acted without authorization from his superiors" countered a councillor.

"What?! When you took me in, you told me the place you found me in was surrounded!" Dipper remarked, surprised.

"I was bluffing, kid. I've had much practice since I played all those poker games at the agency" Powers replied. Dipper was embarrassed at himself for being so stupid.

"Nevertheless, if children aren't fighting your battles, Albert, then they are pawns in your plans. Tell me about your actions towards the Murphy boy. Is it true you had him kidnapped and experimented on?" the president asked. Albert was dreading this line of questioning, but knew it was inevitable.

"We were concerned that Bill would use Milo to regain his powers, so we began an operation where we would have an agent convince him to give up Murphy's Law willingly. The kidnapping only occurred because, during the course of this operation, unforeseen circumstances forced our hand" Albert briefed the council.

"You never told us you kidnapped him" Mabel commented.

"I had to change strategy. It's an essential skill in this line of work" Albert responded.

"Only the agent you used to convince the boy wasn't an agent at all, was he?" another councillor inquired.

"No, but we did have an agent keep an eye on the boy, as well as Milo himself. Which reminds me, another factor that forced me to do what I did was that the boy whose help we acquired was starting to grow too attached to the mission target" Albert outlined.

"Please explain" requested Lock.

"Well, the agent I sent as Shane's handler reported to me that Shane's growing infatuation towards Milo may compromise the mission. But, in the end, he did what had to be done, putting the mission ahead of his feelings" Albert concluded.

"And that was to deliver Milo to you?" stated the president.

"Yes, but that was not his original mission. He was to convince Milo to give up Murphy's Law. As I stated before, circumstances changed, forcing my hand" Albert clarified.

"Circumstances be damned! What matters is your organisation conducts operations against the very people you claim to protect!" objected Agent Trigger.

"While I do not condone his tone, Agent Trigger brings up a very good point. Why not approach this Milo person yourself, and make your intentions known?" the president inquired.

"Bill was dead set on using the boy as a means to regain his power. We could not risk Milo turning any offer we made down, which was highly likely, according to the intelligence we gathered on him" Albert answered.

"At this time, we have questions for Agents Powers and Trigger, so if you would please step down, Captain" the president said, and Albert stepped away, allowing Powers and Trigger to step forth.

"Agents, please tell me you didn't start this investigation of yours based on the conspiracy theories going around. Did you have any basis for starting the course of events that have led us here?" the president quizzed.

"Yes, we have investigated Gravity Falls before. During that time, we took in the one we thought was Stanford Pines for possessing illegal weapons and conspiracy, to name a few charges" Powers started.

"Hang on, didn't we erase your memories of that particular day?" interrupted Stanford.

"You did, however, when Bill invaded, all those memories came flooding back. When that happened, Trigger and I used our agency's resources to track any unusual happenings prior to the start of the war. In all our findings and subsequent investigations, one word kept cropping up; Excalibur" Powers explained.

"So, from this, you wanted to see what this word meant, and its significance to the war?" inquired a councillor.

"We did try to go through official channels, but our boss told us to drop it. It was then we decided to get answers ourselves. While we cannot prove it, we do have a working theory that our boss works for or, at least knows about, Excalibur" Trigger answered.

"At what point did you run into Jerry, Beth and Summer?" further asked another councillor.

"We started by looking into unexplained disappearances, that's when we found the names Rick Sanchez and Morty Smith. When we contacted the family for information, they told us everything. We offered to help them expose Excalibur, and here we are" Powers concluded.

"Just one more thing, on what evidence did you suspect, and eventually take in, Dipper Pines for being the leader known as Major Smith?" asked Lock.

"I had infiltrated Excalibur HQ, with the help of someone who had done it before, planted a bug on Albert's computer, and was able to trace the transmission he made to Dipper's laptop" Powers explained. Now Albert wanted to know who helped Powers infiltrate his base, but if it was who he thought it was, they probably had a good reason to dislike Excalibur.

"I see. At this time, I must ask all of you to wait outside while the Round Table deliberates on what we have heard here today" the president finished; and ushered the guests outside. After a half hour of silent tension, the group were invited back into the council chamber.

"This Round Table has made its consensus. Based on what we've heard and what was presented to us, we find insufficient evidence to back up the Smith family's claim that Excalibur had anything to do with the deaths of Rick and Morty" briefed the president. While Albert expected some objections from the Smith family, they did not voice any, to his surprise. Quite the contrary, they seemed to be at ease.

"If I may, Madam President. We've had some time to think since coming here, and all of us agree that Bill was to blame, not Excalibur, and most certainly not Dipper and Mabel" Summer interjected.

"We're sorry for everything we put you through. It's just hard, living with the fact I'll never see my boy again" Jerry added.

"We understand. Morty was one of the nicest, kindest and bravest souls I've ever met. He was like the brother I never had" Dipper consoled forgivingly.

"You must know, Morty and I were a thing before his end. I'll never forget him, for as long as I live" Mabel reminisced. Jerry chuckled weakly.

"He chose well, then" Jerry mused. Mabel gave a smile upon hearing that.

"If I may continue" the president interrupted, and added to her closing verdicts. "Even though Excalibur wasn't at fault, I must impress upon you, Albert, the fact that children end up involved in Excalibur's operations, in one way or another, deeply disturbs this council. However capable they may be, we owe it to them as the adults to protect them from harm, not put them into the line of fire whenever it suits us" the president further briefed.

"I understand the council's ruling. Let me assure all of you, that I never intend for children to be involved in the day-to-day operations of Excalibur. It is only through circumstances beyond my control that they do" Albert assured.

"Then you won't mind relieving Dipper and Mabel of the Major Smith role" said a councillor. Albert then turned to Dipper and Mabel.

"I only brought you two in to help deal with Bill. Now that he's gone, I'll make you the same offer I did when Excalibur was formed. You can walk away, consequence free, and I, with the help of the Round Table, can find a new Major Smith. Or you can say, before the council, that you would like to keep the role. However, if you do, there is no going back, and I must inform you, that while this life can seem exciting and action-packed, it is also short. I don't want another Morty, nor do I want to be the one who has to tell your parents why you two will never come home again if anything happens to you" Albert outlined. Dipper and Mabel thought about what he just said, and came to a decision.

"Us taking the role of Major Smith wasn't just about defeating Bill, it was about upholding Morty's legacy. If we walked away, we'd be betraying his memory. We can't, in good consciousness, do that" Mabel concluded.

"For this reason, we feel as if we should continue the role we took up when Excalibur started. Whatever happens, we've been through worse, and came out on top. At this point, we can handle anything" Dipper added.

"I don't know about this. Upholding your friend's memory is great and all, but weren't you listening to Albert? This life is short. Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Stanley pressed.

"Absolutely. I thought about walking away, before all this. But now, meeting the Smith family, made me realise Morty wouldn't want that" Mabel reasoned.

"He also wouldn't want anything to happen to you, but if you're sure this is what you want, I cannot object. After all, you are my boss" Albert mused.

"So be it. But, as the captain said, this offer will not be extended again. You two are in this for the long haul, during the good and the bad times" the president finished. Powers and Trigger looked utterly defeated.

"You can't be serious! You're letting Excalibur continue?! What if they go rogue?!" demanded Powers.

"That is why we're here, agent" calmed the president, then she turned to Dipper and Mabel. "Dipper, I will arrange to have your arrest removed from all records, and I'll also prepare a statement saying the agents acted without authorisation. Given time, this will all be explained away as a case of mistaken identity. Council adjourned" the president dismissed, and everyone was ushered out of the meeting hall. Powers and Trigger stormed out of the building. Dipper and Mabel looked worried.

"They may decide to be a problem down the road. Shouldn't we do something?" Dipper inquired.

"Not to worry. I'll have a team wipe their memories soon enough, and I'll assign handlers to keep an eye on them. All this will be forgotten in time" Albert assured.

"If there's nothing else, my brother and I have a world trip to get back to" Stanford insisted, and a car took them to the marina where their boat was docked. Another car took Dipper, Mabel and Albert back to base, for one final thing.

At Excalibur HQ, Albert took Dipper and Mabel to the briefing room, accompanied by Kilstone and some other agents. Just then, on the monitor, a call from Major Smith, a temporary model, appeared on the monitor.

"I trust Powers and Trigger won't be a problem anymore, captain?" asked Major Smith.

"Of course not, sir. I have agents working cover up detail as we speak" Albert briefed.

"Good. I'll have no more talk of children running my institute from anyone" Major Smith addressed the HQ, and the call was cut. Albert had arranged for Stanford to impersonate Major Smith in this ruse to stop any questions about Dipper and Mabel's secret identities as the mysterious leader, but Stanford also implied that this was the only favour he would do for the group, and that he did it for the twins, not Excalibur itself. Once Dipper and Mabel were escorted home, Albert received the briefing from the agents sent to Powers and Trigger. The memory erasure was a success, and handlers were assigned in the guise of probation officers. The head of the agency they worked for was not happy about the publicity; and relieved them of duty until further notice. All's well that ends well, Albert said to himself.

Author's note: I really wanted to finish this before I worked on the Valentine's Special, so apologies if this seemed rushed. The deadline to submit questions has passed, so any further PMs will not be considered, I'm afraid. I do have a page and a half of questions, so readers won't be lacking for laughs. Thinking up answers will take a bit, so I'll just type it up as I go. The usual disclaimers, I own nothing. Alex Hirsch owns Gravity Falls, Dan and Swampy own Milo Murphy's Law, and Disney owns both. Dan Harmon, Justin Roiland and Adult Swim own Rick and Morty. Enjoy.


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